


maybe someday soon

by aurora_chiroptera



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Character Study, Clave Politics (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Downworlder Politics, Gen, Good Husband Alec Lightwood, Hopeful Ending, Light Angst, M/M, POV Magnus Bane, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-27 11:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20406724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurora_chiroptera/pseuds/aurora_chiroptera
Summary: "Yes, this was going to be hard. It was going to be hard not to see Raphael as the leader of the New York Clan. It was going to be hard to see Lorenzo in the role Magnus had loved. It was going to be hard not to have Luke's calming presence. But life was change, and this was a chance for good change.Magnus could do this, to stand by his husband and by the future they wanted."Magnus' thoughts as he and Alec host dinner for the new Downworlder Cabinet members on finding his own place in helping present change.





	maybe someday soon

**Author's Note:**

> Takes a month or so after the wedding, before the one year later.

Magnus was good at being a host. He’d always liked parties, tended to do well with the attention. But he was unsure how to feel about who was being welcomed into his house that night. 

Alec had stepped back into the role of Institute Head soon after they had returned from their honeymoon, and his focus was imminently back to work on equality and transparency. Magnus had agreed with him that it would be a good idea to have the new Downworlder-Shadowhunter Cabinet meet for the first time in a more casual setting and one that was rather neutral. And Magnus wanted to do what he could do to help, so he'd suggested they have the new leaders (plus Meliorn, who had remained in contact despite the Seelie Queendom going silent) over for dinner at their home.

Magnus was big enough to put aside his own disappointment that he was no longer on the Cabinet to make sure the room for real change was created. But it still stung more than he liked to admit. He had been working for a long time to try and secure better rights for downworlders, in this city and across the world. Now it felt like he was on the outside looking in. 

Before his brain could go too far down that spiral, Alec appeared asking, "How do I look?" as he walked into the kitchen, rolling up the sleeves on his dress shirt.

"Professional but not intimidating," Magnus said, taking one of Alec's hands and pressing a kiss to the wrist. "And I look forward to taking it all off later this evening," he added with a wink.

Alec grinned, sweeping in and giving Magnus a quick kiss. He then looked around the kitchen. "Anything I can do?"

"Stay the hell away from the food," Magnus said, pointing the spoon he was holding threateningly. 

Alec laughed, moving away and grabbing the wine bottles. "How about I open these to breath?"

"And set the table!" Magnus called. When Alec had disappeared from sight again, Magnus let his face fall. Yes, this was going to be hard. It was going to be hard not to see Raphael as the leader of the New York Clan. It was going to be hard to see Lorenzo in the role Magnus had loved. It was going to be hard not to have Luke's calming presence. But life was change, and this was a chance for good change. 

Magnus could do this, to stand by his husband and by the future they wanted.

The atmosphere was charged, but not tense, as they all sat around the table. Magnus had changed it to a circle so that no one was at the head. Alec had chuckled and said, "Like the knights of the round table," when he had done this. Now, Magnus had seated himself across from Alec, and mostly just listened. Magnus had discussed with Alec if he should even be present, to which Alec had frowned and said, "Of course you should, because you’re my husband." Maia was beside Magnus, with Lily Chen on her other side. Lorenzo had seated himself beside Alec so Meliorn was Magnus' other neighbor. 

Magnus always smiled at any reminder that he and Alec were married. He didn't see a time when that wouldn't be the case. But it still felt off to be sitting there not as a Cabinet member but at a member's spouse.

"I'm glad you could join us," Meliorn said now as the meal wound down, and it took Magnus a moment to realize that was directed at him, the words were too close to his own thoughts.

Magnus smiled, "I look forward to seeing what the Cabinet will be able to accomplish."

"I have high hopes," Lorenzo said, and Magnus managed not to roll his eyes. He and Lorenzo were bridging a shaky friendship, but the man could still get on Magnus' nerves.

"It’s a pity we won’t have use of your experience, Magnus," Meliorn said, picking at his salad and with a slight smirk to his lips. As much as Magnus was flattered, he had to wonder what trouble was the seelie trying to stir.

"Experience? My understanding was the last Cabinet iteration didn't last very long," Maia said, raising an eyebrow and swirling her glass of wine.

"Don't know your history?" Meliorn said, and Maia bristled at his tone.

"You going to give me a lesson?" Maia asked, warning placed in each word. Magnus knew she was a little worried about being such a young pack leader (she'd spoken with both Alec and Magnus on the subject) and Meliorn was pushing all those concerns.

"I believe he merely means the fact that Magnus was one of the signers of the original Accords," Lorenzo said, stepping in with soothing tones. Magnus waved his hand to refill both Meliorn and Maia's wine glasses as he gave Lorenzo a nod.

"What, really?" this was Lily. She was young for a vampire, not much older than Raphael, and had partied through her first several decades. Raphael seemed to think she was ready for the responsibility of clan leadership and Magnus hoped he was right.

Magnus glanced over at Alec, who was also watching him curiously. He knew that Alec knew his past in the Accords. It was sure to be a prominent note in Magnus' file after all, not to mention it had come up between them a few times. But Magnus didn't really like to talk about it, given that it hadn't been a great time in his life, those years in London.

Meliorn was talking, "Yes, Magnus was there when it was first agreed upon."

"The Accords don't protect enough of our rights," Maia tentatively pointed out, with a sharp question in her eyes and Magnus was reminded why he liked her. Nothing got past her and she didn’t shy away from hard questions.

"You won't remember because it was before your time," Magnus said, waving a hand to encompass Maia, Lily, and Alec. "But it was actually much worse." Magnus fiddled with his wedding ring, trying to put his thoughts together. "I guess an example might be that the Shadowhunters threw out the plates they served us tea and biscuits on during the Accord negotiations, the downworld was seen as so tainted." Magnus tried not to sound bitter, but it still hurt, over a hundred years later.

"The Accords stopped most of the random raids," Meliorn added. "That was, until the Circle came into power."

"What they really stopped was the hunting of downworlders for sport," Lorenzo added. "Shadowhunters collected warlock marks as trophies. Many of those are still not returned so we can properly pay respects." Lorenzo shot a look at Alec, who gave a nod, indicating he would be willing to talk more on that detail later. 

There was a brief silence at the table as all that sunk it. "How’d you get them to listen at all?" Lily asked, looking at Magnus.

"We weren't able to at first, but there was an attack during one of the sessions," Magnus said, staring at his plate. "It lead to some... better understanding at who the true enemy was, and showed that downworlders do have compassion."

"Surprise!" Lily said, rolling her eyes and tipping back to balance on the back legs of her chair.

"I hope, seeing the danger of the Circle rising a second time, as well as Jonathan and Lilith, that a similar change in views is happening," Magnus said. “One on a larger scale.”

"Not to mention you saved Alicante for them," Maia said with an amused snort before drinking some more wine. "Some demon hunters..."

Lorenzo chuckled. "Can't protect their city from one of their own..."

Magnus shook his head. At least they weren't starting a fight now. He caught Alec watching in amusement. They had talked a lot about how Alec could make a difference. In downworlder spaces, in these Cabinet meetings, it would be better for him to listen than to talk. In shadowhunter spaces though, he needed to speak up and be an advocate. It was clear he'd taken that to heart.

Lily punched Alec's shoulder in a friendly manner that Magnus was learning was just her personality, getting his attention. She grinned and asked, "You're not going to throw out these plates, are you?"

"He wouldn't have any dishes left if he followed that old model," Magnus said, tapping his glass with a nail.

Alec just shook his head. “Would anyone be interested in moving to dessert?”

"I experimented to make a blood tart for you Lily, so you'll have to forgive me if it's awful," Magnus added.

"You had me at dessert," Lily grinned back, and then put her feet on the table at she tipped further back in her chair.

Alec pushed his chair back, and stood, taking Lorenzo and Lily's plates to stack on his own. "I'll be back with it then."

Magnus waved his hand to gather Maia and Meliorn's dishes, before followed Alec into the kitchen. Alec had placed his load of plates in the sink and Magnus copied while Alec put the tea kettle on the stove. When Magnus turned he found Alec's chest and then he was wrapped in his husband's arms.

"You didn't tell me they threw out the plates," Alec murmured as Magnus allowed himself to relax and take comfort.

Magnus shrugged as best he could, even as he wrapped his arms around Alec's waist. "It wasn't important."

"Magnus..." Alec knew him too well. He always cared about how Magnus felt at a level no one else, besides Ragnor and Catarina, had before.

"I didn't know it still affected me, it was almost to be expected at the time," Magnus said, looking up at Alec.

The worried hazel eyes were dark brown in the light. "That's not an excuse."

"No, it's not," Magnus said, and maybe that helped. Acknowledging the hurt. "I've had many different people find many different reasons to see the things I touch as tainted."

Alec shook his head, before pressing a kiss to Magnus' forehead. When he pulled back, his eyes held that promise that had first made Magnus hope: a promise to make the world better, but also more personal. A promise to support and protect Magnus, wrapped in a love unlike anything Magnus could have imagined. Magnus blinked quickly, before pressing his face into Alec's shoulder, feeling too vulnerable but also safe in Alec's arms.

They stood there for a long time, before the sound of laughter from the other room reminded Magnus of their guests. Pulled back and sniffling subtly, Magnus met Alec's eyes. "We should finish preparing dessert."

"Yeah," Alec agreed, watching him softly, and Magnus couldn't stop from closing the gap and kissing him. It was gentle, quick, but Magnus tried to put all his love and gratitude into the kiss. When they pulled apart, Magnus watched Alec's eyes slowly open, smile on his lips.

"Did you forget to put the stove on for the kettle?" Magnus asked, his own smile turning a bit amused. His husband really was hopeless in the kitchen.

Alec closed his eyes and groaned. "Yes."

"It's okay, I keep you here to look pretty, Alexander," Magnus teased as he disentangled himself from Alec's arms. He flicked his fingers to boil the water. "Get the mugs and dishes and bring them to the table. I'll finish up any actual cooking."

"Yes dear," Alec chuckled, kissing Magnus’ cheek and doing what he was told.

Magnus gave himself a moment to just breath. Then, he took the plate from the fridge and the one from the counter with various cookies and treats, waving his hand to have them appear on the table. Lily's excitement was audible, and Maia was laughing. Magnus felt a real smile as he filled the tea pot and picked it up with the little basket of teas they had. Taking a deep breath, he let it out and went to rejoin the party.

Maybe this time it would be different. With Alec smiling at him, with the respectful nod Lorenzo gave him, with Lily and Maia excited to lead and protect their people, even with Meliorn's watchful gaze, they could do something. They could make the difference. And maybe, Magnus wasn't too far out of the loop to help after all.


End file.
